Beelink Mate mini Review: The Perfect Mac Mini Storage Dock with Thunderbolt 5 and SSD Expansion

The Mac Mini continues to be the go-to desktop for many macOS users — and for good reason. With Apple’s M-series silicon (now up to the M4 chip), it’s a compact, efficient, and powerful machine. Best of all, it remains Apple’s most affordable computer, starting at just €699 / £599 / ₹59,900.

But there’s one big catch: the base model only offers 256GB of storage — and you can't upgrade it yourself. Jumping to the 512GB version directly from Apple will cost you around $200/€250 more, making it a steep price to pay for just 256GB of extra space.

That’s where storage docks like the Beelink Mate mini come in. Not only does it expand the storage on your Mac Mini using high-speed Thunderbolt 5, but it also adds additional ports and I/O, all while keeping your setup sleek and organized.

Beelink Mate mini – Key Features:

Thunderbolt 5 support with up to 80Gbps bandwidth

Two versions:

Mate mini A – Dual M.2 PCIe (x2) slots, up to 16TB total

Mate mini B – Single M.2 PCIe (x4) slot, up to 8TB

Read/write speeds:

Mate mini A: Up to 3,600MB/s read, 3,400MB/s write

Mate mini B: Up to 7,000MB/s read, 5,000MB/s write

We tested the Mate mini A model with a 500GB Samsung 970 EVO PCIe Gen 3.0 x4 SSD. Previously used in a USB 3.2 enclosure, the SSD was bottlenecked by its 5Gbps limit. Once installed in the Beelink dock, read speeds improved by nearly 40%, delivering faster performance for tasks like editing 4K H.265 video.

I/O Ports Overview:

SD 4.0 UHS-II card slot (312MB/s max)

2x USB-A 3.0 ports (5Gbps)

2.5Gbps Ethernet port

3.5mm audio jack

Thunderbolt 5 USB-C port (80Gbps)

Power-only USB-C port for high-power peripherals

Beelink includes two Thunderbolt 5 USB-C cables, clearly labeled for use above or below the Mac Mini. The active cooling system is whisper-quiet, ensuring stable SSD performance even under load.

Installing an SSD is straightforward with basic tools — just unscrew the base and slot in the drive. The added bonus? Using the SSD inside the actively cooled dock prevents thermal throttling compared to typical USB-C enclosures.

Pricing:

Mate mini A (no SSD): $139

With 2TB Crucial SSD: $279

With 4TB Crucial SSD: $460

Verdict:

The Beelink Mate mini is a smart and stylish upgrade for any Mac Mini user. With SSD expandability, multiple ports, and Thunderbolt 5 performance, it’s a much better deal than paying Apple’s high upgrade prices. If you’re planning to buy the base Mac Mini, this dock is a must-have accessory.